Jordan repels armed infiltration from Syria amid heightened border tensions

On Friday evening, Jordanian border guards engaged in a confrontation with a group of approximately 14 armed men attempting to infiltrate the country from Syria, according to a statement released by the Jordanian military. The infiltration attempt was met with heavy gunfire from the border guards, who responded promptly and decisively in line with their established rules of engagement.

Several members of the armed group sustained injuries, while the rest of the group fled back into Syrian territory. It remains unclear if the injured gunmen were taken into custody. This incident took place just two days after Syria and Jordan had reopened their sole border crossing for passenger and commercial traffic, following a temporary closure due to Jordanian airstrikes in southern Syria.

The strikes, which occurred on Monday in the provinces of Daraa and Sweida, killed seven civilians, among them three children, a woman, and an elderly man. The Jordanian military reported that two ISIS members were killed during the airstrike, targeting hideouts of militants linked to the Karak Church shooting. The attack on the funeral procession resulted in the deaths of nine people and injuries to at least 30 others.

In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Jordan and Syria agreed to establish a joint security committee to investigate the airstrikes and enhance intelligence and security cooperation against militant threats.